Fiber-producing machine.



0. T. HUNGERFORD;

FIBER PRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.9. 191s.

Patented Mar. 5, 191&

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0..T. HUNGERFOBD. FIBER PRODUCING MACHINE.

. API HCATION FILED AUG.9. 1915. 1,258,336. Patented Mar. 5,1915;

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OLIVER '1. HUNGERFORD, 0F BELLEVILIIE, NEW JERSEY.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

\ Application mcuu ustams. Serle111'o.44,571.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER T. Honor n- FORD, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Belleville, Essex county, and State of New Jersey, have invented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Fiber-Producin Machines, of which the following is a speci cation.

The object of my said invention is to provide a machine for use in removmg the shive from flax straw and recovering the fiber from said straw, free from said shive and combed out in condition to enable it to be conveniently and successfully used for commercial purposes, such as the manufacture of rope, twine, and other products for which it may be found to be adapted; all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a art hereof and on which similar reference c aracters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the machine embodying my said invention, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the main framework of the mach1ne,B the carrier feed table or apron, and G a combing cylinder.

The frame A is of any appropriate construction for the purpose, containing the bearings and other supports for the various parts of the mechanism, and needs no special description except such as may be incidentally required in describing the other parts of the apparatus.

The carrier or 'feed apron B is an endless carrier composed of flexible belts connected by transverse slats and mounted upon Wheels 10 and 11, which are mounted on shafts 12 and 13, which are journaled in suitable bearings at the receiving end of the frame A and on the outer end of the table brackets A A pair of l'ongitudinall fluted rolls 14 and 15 are journaled in suita le bearings on the frame A adjacent to the inner end of apron B. Another pair of longitudinally fluted rolls 16 and 17 are positioned adjacent to said pair of rolls 14 and 15, the flutes of the rolls 16 and 17 being finer than those of the rolls 14 and 15. Another pair of rolls 18 and 19 are j ournaled adjacent to rolls 16 and 17 and are formed with circumferential grooves in their peripheries, the depressions in one roll ofsaid pair registering with the ribs of the other. Another pair of longitudinally fluted rolls 20 and 21 are positloned adjacent to the rolls 18 and 19, their flutes being of a finer character than those of the rolls 16 and 17.

A shaker cylinder 22 is positioned adjacent to roll 20 and formed with radially projecting teeth at close intervals, covering its entire surface. A pair of rolls 23 and 24 are positioned adjacent to said shaking cylinder 22, and beneath the combing cylinder C is mounted a concave C in WhlCh-lS journaled a series of small rollers 25 at close intervals from end to end of said concave. Each of said rollers 25 has a pinion on its outer end, and an intermediate pinion 26 interposed between adjacent rolls forms a continuous driving connection for said rolls 25 from end to end of the concave. A pulley 27 on the outer end of-one of said rolls 25, is connected by belt 28 with a pulley 29 on the corresponding end of roller 23 for transmitting motion to the rolls of said concave. A series of belts, or sprocket chains, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 connect ulleys or sprocket wheels on the ends of the shafts of rollers 14, 16, 18, 20, cylinder 22, and roller 23, to establish a continuous drive from the shaft 13 at the inner end of feeding apron B. Another belt or sprocket chain 36 connects the shaft of roller 23 with a sprocket wheel or pulley on the shaft 37 of the combing cylinder C A driving pulley 38 is mounted on the opposite end of shaft 13 and may be connected by a belt (not shown) with any source of power convenient, or desired.

The combin cylinder 0 is substantially of the form s own, being armed with six longitudinal rows of spikes or teeth a, positioned equidistant apart around the c linder and being arranged with their points to operate in close relation with the surfaces of the rollers 25 composing the concave C and with the teeth of each row preferably ofl'-set or staggeredwith relation to the teeth of the adjacent rows.

In operation, the flax straw is thrown upon the feeding apron B, which feeds the same to the first pair of rollers14 and 15,

which serve to crush the straw, breaking the which condition they concave C by liver the straw to the next pair of rolls 18 and 19 which, being grooved circumferentially, break and crush the straw and shive oppositely from the operation of the other rolls, tendin to still further separate the shive from t e fiber. Said rolls deliver the straw to the next pair of rolls 20 and 21, which again subject it to a further crushing operation of still more finely fluted rolls and practically reduce the shive to dust or very fine particles. Said rolls 20 and 21 deliver the straw in this condition to the shaking cylinder 22, which not only rotates, but is given longitudinal vibration by reason of a cam connection as shown, and operates to shake the broken shive free from the fiber. Said roll 22 delivers the fiber, practically free from the shive, to the rolls 23 and 24, which flatten out the fiber and deliver it to the combing cylinder 0 at slow speed. The combing cylinder, running at high speed, operates through the teet c to comb the fiber and free it from any remaining particles of shive and, at the same time, bring the fibers into horizontal relationship, in are carried over the the driven rollers 25, the combing roller C operating, by reason of: its speed, to keep the fiber combed straight and deliver it over the outer end of said concave in this condition, practically free from all shive and ready to be converted by any appropriate method into any product for which it may be found desirable.-

It will be noted that the journal boxes of the rollers 15, 17, 19, 21, and 24 are adjustable by means of screws 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44, whereby the rolls of each pair may be set in relation to each other to. accommodate the character of the roduct to be operated uipon.

Having thus gully described my sai invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A machine for recoverin the fiber of straw and reducing it to form %or the manufacture of fibrous products, comprising a frame, a series of pairs of crushing rolls with fluted surfaces, the flutes of part of said pairs running in one direction and of the others in another direction, a shaking cylinder arranged to receive the straw from saidcrushin cylinders, feeding rolls adjacent to said s aking cylinder arranged to receive the product therefrom a combing cylinder arranged adjacent to the opposite sides of said feeding rolls, a concave composed of driven rolls arranged to coiiperate with said concave messes combing cylinder, and means for driving said several parts, substantially as set forth.

2. A machine for recovering the fiber of straw and converting it into form for manufacture into fibrous products comprising a frame, a series of pairs of crushing rolls having fluted surfaces, a shaking cylinder arrangedto receive the product from said. crushing roll, a toothed combing cylinder, a pair of feed rolls inter osed between the shaking roll and said ceding cylinder, a

filled with rolls arranged to cooperate with said combing cylinder, and means for driving said several parts, substantially as set forth.

3. A machine for recovering the fiber of straw and converting it into form for use in the manufacture of fibrous products comprising a frame, a series of pairs of crushing rolls mounted in said frame, means for feeding straw to said crushing rolls, a shaking cylinder for receiving the straw from said crushing rolls, a toothed combing cylinder, rolls arranged in a concave and cooperable with said combing cylinder, a pair of feed rolls interposed between said shakin cylinder and said combing cylinder,

said feed rolls being geared to run at a,

slower-speed than the speed of said combin cylinder, and means for driving said severa parts, substantially as set forth.

4. A machine for recovering the fiber of straw, comprising a series of pairs of crushing rolls with fluted surfaces, the flutes of some of said rolls runnin at right angles with the flutes of others 0 said rolls, a rotatable and reciprocable shaking cylinder ,arranged to receive the straw from said crushing rolls, a pair of feed rolls arranged to receive the'fiber from said shaking cylinder, a toothed combing cylinder arranged to comb out the fiber as it passes through said feed rolls, a concave arranged beneath said combing cylinder and containing a series of rolls cooperating with said cylinder, and a chain of gearing connecting said several parts to the driving mechanism, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Belleville, New Jersey, this 5th day of August, A. D. nineteen hundred and fifteen.

OLIVER r. uureraroan.

Witnesses:

ELLA E. Fominr'r, OLIVER O. DALEY. 

